Enforced Disappearance of a Man While Visiting a Patient

Human Rights Monitor (HRM) has submitted an urgent appeal regarding the disappearance of Cairo resident Mr. Ahmed Ameen Alakad was abducted by Egyptian Security Forces 6 days ago. To date, he has not been brought before prosecution or any investigating body. His family has not been able to contact him causing much worry and alarm.

Egyptian Security Forces abducted Mr. Alakad on Tuesday, 5 March 2019 at 10 AM, while visiting a sick man who suffers from liver failure at his house in Naser City, and his current location remains unknown.

The family of Mr. Alakad knew nothing about his arrest until they saw a statement on one of the human rights centers announcing the names of those arrested, including the name of Mr. Alakad.

According to witnesses, the 61-year-old businessman, father of 6 and grandfather of one, the arresting forces did not reveal an arrest warrant or give reasons for his arrest in violation of the law.

Witnesses stated that the forces included two officers dressed in uniform, men dressed in civilian clothes and other masked men. They stormed the apartment where Mr. Alakad, along with four other people, were paying a visit to the patient.

His lawyers and family asked for him in the different police centers and places of detention across Egypt; however, police administration denied his arrest and detention despite personnel from the police storming his house and the houses of the other four following the arrest.

According to the neighbors' stories, the five visitors were detained in the apartment while members of the Security Forces brought a number of bags and equipment from the police vehicles they came with.

This was followed by a number of other Security Forces, with cameras and equipment’s, who entered the apartment and held the five people inside for almost 4 hours, before taking them to an unknown destination. They blindfolded and handcuffed them while arresting them. At 1.00 Pm, a Security Officer informed the neighbors that “they were terrorists and we have captured them.”

Then they took them blindfolded with white cloths over the eyes, and their hands were clothed from the back and took them all out of the above-mentioned property. At 1:00 pm, the officer announced to the tower residents: "they were terrorists and we have captured them” officers shoved them all in a minibus and moved them to an unknown place.

Later on, they took Mr. Alakad, while being handcuffed and blindfolded, to the address written on his national ID card, where his sister lived. They searched the property, damaged furniture and confiscated personal belongings before taking him to an unknown destination.

Following this, Security Forces with machine guns and police dogs went to Mr. Alakad’s place of residence in New Nozha, but he was not with them this time. They broke into the house as nobody was there, damaged its contents and left with bags containing stolen items from the house.

HRM denounces the enforced disappearance of Mr. Alakad and expresses its deep concern regarding his safety and health conditions.

HRM stresses that the continued abduction of citizens in Egypt is a crime and is a breach to the International Convention of the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance ratified in 2006. According to articles 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, the widespread or systematic practice of enforced disappearances constitutes a crime against humanity.

HRM also urges authorities to disclose the whereabouts of Mr. Alakad and the immediate release of him since this enforced disappearance is a clear violation of all international human rights laws agreed upon and signed by Egypt.

On 07 March HRM has filed an urgent appeal to the UN Working on Enforced Disappearances and the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention calling on them to work towards finding the whereabouts of Mr. Alakad and calling for his release.